OBR - R1
Classic situation where the batter steps out of the box with no time called and the pitcher stops his delivery.
Right before this happened, R1 takes off for second and is about half way there.
Since this is not a balk, do we just reset and have R1 return to 1st?
Thanks

If the coaches and players don't care then should we? He's a rec ball umpire and if that's what he aspires to then good for him. As long as his zone and judgement are good then I suppose his strike three call shouldn't be an issue.
I umpired with a guy that had an "interesting" strike 3 call but he was also a terrible umpire. Terrible zone, terrible mechanics, no hustle on the field. his strike 3 antics just seemed to magnify his poor performance.
That being said, his indicator is in his right hand and you can't punch out a swinging 3rd strike.

Batter didn't step out. Catcher didn't ask for it. Evidently the umpire felt it was to long and decided to call it on his own. That's what everyone was pissed about. Not to common for this to happen it appears.

Last nights game STL vs. BOS
Critical part of the 9th inning. Pitcher is set and remains in this pre-pitch state for seven seconds. (mostly looking at the runner on 2nd)
Just before the pitch, plate umpire calls time. OBR 5.04(b)(2) Comment: "If pitcher delays once the batter is in his box and the umpire feels that the delay is not justified he may allow the batter to step out of the box momentarily." The batted need not request "Time."
Catcher gets pissed about it, MGR intervenes to protect catcher and gets tossed. I've never seen an umpire call time like that before without the batter or catcher asking for time. Unusual?

I go the gum route as well and have actually found it unintentionally useful in a couple of instances.
After an inning where there had been a bit of a "discussion" about a safe and out call, I took up my usual spot about 10 ft up the 1st base line and watched the warm up pitches proceed. (I had the plate)
Coach comes out of the 3rd base dugout and starts going on about that "play" He's yaking at me from the 3rd base side and with my arms folded, I just look at him as he is going on and proceed to blow bubbles with my gum. After about a minute, without a word from me, he stops and looks at me sort of quizzically and turns around and walks back to the dugout.
I'm hoping my bubble blowing gave him the message. (go away, I don't care what you are saying.)

I make an out call that invariably one of the coaches disagrees with.
I change my call.
Now the other coach comes out to disagree with that. I change it back.
The other disagrees with that.
I change it back.
I let this go on for a bit and I finally say "Well you think he's out and you think he's safe. You guys figure it out. Have a nice day"
And I leave.